Microscopes, particularly surgical microscopes, are supported by microscope stands and surgical microscope stands, respectively, which may be placed on a floor or a piece of furniture or equipment, or be mounted to a wall or ceiling. Such microscope stands include at least one pivot support and a mount for mounting the microscope to the microscope stand. In order to be able to rotate the microscope relative to the pivot support, and thus, to adapt its orientation to the requirements of the particular environment, it is known to support the mount in such a way that it is rotatable relative to the pivot support about a first axis of rotation. Moreover, in order to prevent the microscope from being accidentally moved out of alignment with respect to the pivot support, it is also known to connect the mount via braking force transmission means to a brake, which defines a second axis of rotation extending parallel to the first axis of rotation.
In a microscope stand marketed by the applicant, the mount is connected to the brake via a first gear wheel mounted centrally with respect to the second axis of rotation and a gear segment whose center of rotation is disposed centrally with respect to the first axis of rotation (oscillating gear segment drive), said gear wheel and said gear segment constituting the braking force transmission means. This approach is highly reliable and has proven successful on the market. It also optimizes the available space.
However, the drawback of the known approach is that the oscillating gear segment drive must have sufficient play to ensure proper operation. Moreover, an adjustment device must be provided for the gear wheels so as to allow adjustment of the play therebetween. This requires additional mechanical means, which typically are complex and increase manufacturing cost of a microscope stand.
Therefore, there is still a need to improve a microscope stand, and in particular a stand for a surgical microscope, in such a way that it does not have the aforementioned disadvantages and, in particular, that it provides a reliable and easy-to-manufacture connection between the mount and the brake without requiring increased height or additional devices.